Written Answers Thursday 19 November 2009

Scottish Executive

Autism

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were diagnosed with autism in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

  In March 2008, the Scottish Government published and disseminated guidance for commissioners of services for people on the autism spectrum in local authorities and health boards, which sets out recommendations for planning appropriate services. This guidance can be found at the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/03/27085247/0.

  Annex A of the above guidance sets out a national diagnostic standard for autism spectrum disorder diagnostic standards.

British-Irish Council

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the British-Irish Council Summit held on 13 November 2009.

Michael Russell: On 13 November 2009, the States of Jersey hosted the thirteenth Summit meeting of the British-Irish Council, attended by ministers from all the member administrations. The focus of the summit included useful discussions on the global financial situation and its implications for our economies, and on Indigenous, Minority and Lesser-used Languages, where we identified the scope for useful further joint work.

  As with previous summits, the meeting received progress reports and agreed a plan for future work on the other subjects currently being taken forward by council members. These are drugs misuse; demography; digital inclusion; the environment; energy, both grid infrastructure and marine renewables; collaborative spatial planning; early years; transport, and social inclusion.

  The council recognised the valuable work that had been achieved by all the work streams and considered a report on the Knowledge Economy Workstream which has now concluded.

  It was disappointing that the council did not reach unanimity on the location of a standing secretariat. The St Andrews Agreement of October 2006 noted that the UK and Irish governments would facilitate the establishment of a standing secretariat, and this has been discussed at each of the subsequent summits. At the summit in Cardiff earlier this year, the Chief Minister of Jersey was asked to "take informal soundings from colleagues on the council with a view to reporting back a broad consensus on where the Standing Secretariat might be based." Many member administrations felt that, more than three years since the St Andrews Agreement, the time to decide on the secretariat was overdue.

  Edinburgh is one of the candidates to host the secretariat, and we were delighted with the overwhelming support that Edinburgh received from the member administrations. However, unanimity was not achieved and the matter has been remitted to the Chief Minister of Guernsey to see if we can overcome the obstacles to agreement and we are hopeful of that before the next summit in Guernsey in June 2010.

  I am placing a copy of the Official Communiqué that was issued by the British-Irish Council after the meeting in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. (Bib. number 49690)

Care of Older People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are obliged to fund free personal and nursing care when a person has been assessed by a local authority as meeting the eligibility criteria and the care provision has been arranged by or agreed with that authority.

Shona Robison: Free personal and nursing care is an entitlement for those who are assessed by a local authority as having personal or nursing care needs that call for the provision of services. Payments for personal and nursing care will only commence once an appropriate contract is in place between the local authority and the care provider.

  Joint guidance by the Scottish Government and COSLA was issued to local authorities on 28 September 2009. The guidance delivers a commitment to provide personal and nursing care services to older people within a maximum period of six weeks following the identification of need, where an individual is identified as being at critical or substantial risk as regards their independent living or wellbeing, and applies across Scotland.

Care of Older People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can place older people on waiting lists for free personal or nursing care if the authority has insufficient funds in its budget to meet these costs.

Shona Robison: Guidance on National Standard Eligibility Criteria And Waiting Times For The Personal And Nursing Care Of Older People , jointly agreed by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, was issued on the 28 September 2009. Local authorities were asked to confirm by 1 December 2009 that their local arrangements for access to social care services and timescales for access to personal and nursing care services are compatible with the national definitions and standards set out in the finalised guidance. Full text of the guidance is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/17655/research/NewPage .

  The guidance delivers on a commitment to provide personal and nursing care services to older people within a maximum period of six weeks following the identification of need, where an individual is identified as being at critical or substantial risk as regards their independent living or wellbeing.

  Eligibility criteria recognise urgency and risk as factors in the determination of eligibility for community care services. Where an individual is eligible, the urgency of that individual’s needs should be kept in focus in determining how to respond to the care needs assessment or ongoing review. It is fundamental to the approach set out in the guidance that individuals who require services should not simply be placed in a date order queue.

Carers

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been made available for additional short breaks for carers in the Scottish Borders as a result of its concordat with COSLA.

Shona Robison: Details of the Local Government Finance Settlement 2010-11 will be announced to Parliament later this month. In total, authorities were allocated £1.37 million in 2009-10 in respect of additional respite and will be allocated £2.82 million in 2010-11 as part of the local government settlement. The Scottish Government’s allocation to the Scottish Borders for 2009-10 included £32,000 to support the delivery of additional respite weeks.

Carers

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional hours of short breaks for carers have been delivered in the Scottish Borders as a result of its concordat with COSLA.

Shona Robison: The data for all authorities, including the Scottish Borders, will be published as soon as possible, once all the data has been gathered.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unpaid carers there are in each local authority area.

Shona Robison: The information is provided in the following table:

  

 Local Authority
 Number of Unpaid Carers


 Aberdeen City
 25,111


 Aberdeenshire
 29,036


 Angus
 12,133


 Argyll and Bute
 10,790


 Clackmannanshire
 8,690


 Dumfries and Galloway
 22,216


 Dundee City
 14,027


 East Ayrshire
 21,844


 East Dunbartonshire
 12,862


 East Lothian
 13,095


 East Renfrewshire
 9,772


 Edinburgh City
 47,404


 Eilean Siar
 2,933


 Falkirk
 21,929


 Fife
 49,522


 Glasgow City
 66,371


 Highland
 29,523


 Inverclyde
 9,892


 Midlothian
 14,192


 Moray
 11,628


 North Ayrshire
 18,921


 North Lanarkshire
 48,957


 Orkney Islands
 1,989


 Perth and Kinross
 19,082


 Renfrewshire
 24,087


 Scottish Borders
 12,502


 Shetland Islands
 2,246


 South Ayrshire
 15,283


 South Lanarkshire
 38,023


 Stirling
 12,050


 West Dunbartonshire
 13,132


 West Lothian
 18,086


 All Scotland
 657,328



  Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2007-08.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many single outcome agreements include a specific outcome for carers.

Shona Robison: It is not the purpose of single outcome agreements (SOAs) to provide a comprehensive list of outcomes across all services. The SOAs reflect the priorities and agreed outcomes for each Community Planning Partnership, and include relevant supporting indicators and targets. Copies of all 32 SOAs, which were agreed with Community Planning Partnerships on 1 June 2009, can be obtained via the Improvement Service website by following this link:

  http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/single-outcome-agreements/.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms it will use to ensure the implementation of its forthcoming carers strategy.

Shona Robison: The Carers Strategy for Scotland (including a "lift-out" section on young carers) is being developed in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). As such, and in line with the principles of our concordat with local government, it needs to be approved by COSLA. This should help ensure implementation at local level, as COSLA needs to be satisfied that it will be implementable. There is also representation from some health boards on the steering groups, helping to inform development of the strategy. The strategy will include high-level messages about the benefits of carer support, supported by evidence and set within the context of outcomes.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will realise the SNP manifesto commitment to "give carers in greatest need a guaranteed annual entitlement to breaks from caring" and what that entitlement will be, expressed in weeks.

Shona Robison: A Short Breaks Working Group with representation from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), local authorities and carers’ organisations is considering this issue.

  The Carers Strategy for Scotland, to be published in the first half of 2010, will include a chapter on short breaks.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is and what the spend has been since April 2009 for the installation of enhanced measures under Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package.

Alex Neil: The Energy Assistance Package is a holistic approach to tackling fuel poverty that addresses both the home and the householder, and includes services to maximise income, reduce fuel bills and improve energy efficiency. Stage 4 of the package offers a menu of enhanced physical measures to groups most likely to be fuel poor, including central heating.

  The Energy Assistance Package is supported by a budget of over £60 million in 2009-10. Fuel poverty budget spend to date is £15.728 million. This is in line with the expected profile as spend on installation measures is traditionally weighted towards the last two quarters of the financial year.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) budget and (b) spend was for installations under the Central Heating Programme in each of the last three years.

Alex Neil: The information is contained in the following table.

  

 Central Heating Programme
 (a) Budget
 (b) Spend


 2008-09
£51.57 million
£49.46 million


 2007-08
£52.3 million 
£48.9 million


 2006-07
£58.19 million
£45.8 million

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) applications and (b) eligible applications for the installation of enhanced measures under Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package had been received by 30 September 2009, broken down by local authority area.

Alex Neil: The Energy Assistance Package (EAP) is a holistic approach to tackling fuel poverty that addresses both the home and the householder, and includes services to maximise income, reduce fuel bills and improve energy efficiency. Stage 4 of the package offers a menu of enhanced physical measures to groups most likely to be fuel poor, including central heating.

  Our fuel poverty programme is helping thousands of households in Scotland to heat their homes more cheaply and efficiently. By 31 October:

  Over 22,500 have taken up help under EAP,

  Benefits checks have achieved nearly £687,000 in extra income,

  Over 900 households have moved on to a social tariff due to referrals under EAP,

  Over 2,700 insulation measures have been delivered,

  Four thousand, seven hundred and one central heating systems have been installed.

  The number of households taking up the Energy Assistance Package to end September, broken down by local authority area, is given in the following table. The table also shows the figure for the end of October.

  Eligibility for Stage 4 is determined by the managing agent by means of a survey process. The number of households accepted by the managing agent as eligible for Stage 4 to end October, by local authority area, is given in the following table.

  The second table shows installations that include central heating to 31 October, broken down by postcode area.

  

 Local Authority
 Households Taking Up EAP, At End September 2009
 Households Taking Up EAP, At End October 2009
 Households Accepted At EAP Stage 4 Survey, At End October 2009


 Aberdeen City 
 314
 529
 52


 Aberdeenshire
 506
 851
 85


 Angus
 322
 487
 56


 Argyll and Bute
 282
 453
 57


 Clackmannanshire
 148
 204
 13


 Dumfries and Galloway
 641
 857
 180


 Dundee City 
 362
 523
 84


 East Ayrshire
 470
 588
 48


 East Dunbartonshire 
 365
 550
 40


 East Lothian 
 284
 383
 30


 East Renfrewshire 
 419
 519
 29


 Edinburgh, City of
 1,115
 1,598
 112


 Eilean Siar
 103
 177
 20


 Falkirk 
 615
 749
 55


 Fife 
 1,474
 1,979
 113


 Glasgow City 
 1,359
 1,776
 163


 Highland 
 819
 1,320
 105


 Inverclyde
 321
 453
 36


 Midlothian 
 261
 343
 21


 Moray
 239
 386
 47


 North Ayrshire
 484
 750
 56


 North Lanarkshire 
 998
 1,270
 113


 Orkney Islands 
 94
 124
 16


 Perth and Kinross
 422
 691
 74


 Renfrewshire
 586
 713
 65


 Scottish Borders
 381
 542
 54


 Shetland Islands 
 26
 40
 7


 South Ayrshire
 489
 698
 64


 South Lanarkshire 
 1,096
 1,467
 135


 Stirling 
 371
 538
 31


 West Dunbartonshire 
 245
 303
 23


 West Lothian 
 494
 635
 23


 Local authority Not Identified
 8
 11
 


 Total
 16,113
 22,507
 2,007



  Total Number of Installations That Include Central Heating, to 31 October 2009

  

 Postcode Area
 Total


 AB
 306


 DD
 237


 DG
 188


 EH
 610


 FK
 233


 G
 1,154


 HS
 18


 IV
 219


 KA
 411


 KW
 55


 KY
 273


 ML
 397


 PA
 391


 PH
 142


 TD
 60


 ZE
 7


 All Scotland
 4,701

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the installation rate under Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package is lower than that under the Central Heating Programme.

Alex Neil: The Energy Assistance Package is not simply a central heating replacement programme; it is a new programme offering a wider range of services to better tackle the three main causes of fuel poverty: low incomes; poor energy efficiency, and fuel costs. Help with physical measures is targeted at those most likely to be in fuel poverty including for the first time families with children under five or disabled children under 16. In the first year of any programme time is needed to raise awareness with newly eligible applicants. While we achieved a record 14,430 installations in the final year of the Central Heating Programme (CHP), by comparison in its first year, the CHP only installed 3,560 systems.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package is (a) working as intended and (b) successful.

Alex Neil: Yes. The EAP is helping thousands of households in Scotland to heat their homes more cheaply and efficiently. To end September:

  Over 16,000 have taken up help,

  Benefits checks have achieved nearly £454,000 in extra income,

  400 households have moved on to a social tariff,

  Over 2,100 insulation measures have been delivered and

  4,683 central heating systems have been installed.

  The independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is responsible for monitoring the Energy Assistance Package (EAP) and considered the operation of the first six months of the package at their meeting on 27 October 2009. The forum considered that EAP "is already delivering real benefits to people in fuel poverty – increased income through benefit reviews, reduced prices through access to social tariffs, and more efficient heating through better insulation and new heating systems" and recommended specific changes to further improve its operation and widen access to stage 4.

  The Scottish Government announced on 4 November 2009 changes to operating procedures to speed up delivery of stage 4 and amendment to regulations to broaden the definition of an energy inefficient home.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28054 by Alex Neil on 29 October 2009, for what reason the demand for installations under Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package requires stimulation when there were over 14,000 installations in 2008-09 under its Central Heating Programme.

Alex Neil: The Central Heating Programme was heavily subscribed because it was a  long-established programme with brand recognition and access was based on age rather than need. Many installations under the programme benefited households which were not fuel poor and a review carried out in May 2008 found that the CHP was not tackling fuel poverty very effectively.

  Following the recommendations of the independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum the Energy Assistance Package was introduced, a holistic package of services to tackle the three main causes of fuel poverty: low incomes; fuel prices; and energy inefficiency. Stage 4 of the package is targeted at those most likely to be fuel poor, including for the first time families with children under five or a disabled child under 16. Work is underway to raise awareness of the EAP and develop brand recognition.

  The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is responsible for monitoring the Energy Assistance Package and following consideration of the first six months of operation recommended that the threshold for energy inefficiency dwellings be raised to cover more fuel poor households. Scottish ministers accepted this recommendation.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28055 by Alex Neil on 29 October 2009, for what reason the average waiting period from application to installation under Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package cannot be provided at local authority level.

Alex Neil: The managing agent is responsible for delivery of stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package and is contractually required to provide certain information to the Scottish Government. We are reviewing the information about customer journey times including the formatting of information geographically.

  A procurement exercise to appoint a managing agent from 2010-2011 is currently underway. The revised contract will reflect the monitoring requirements of the Energy Assistance Package.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28049 by Alex Neil on 29 October 2009, whether the seven contractors in Dumfries and Galloway are the same as those previously involved with the Central Heating Programme.

Alex Neil: The seven contractors working in Dumfries and Galloway were all previously involved with the Central Heating Programme. The managing agent has advised that, wherever possible, Central Heating Programme contractors are used to carry out work under the Energy Assistance Package, with additional contractors being taken on to carry out work for the range of additional measures now available at Stage 4, for example air source heat pumps.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has changed the eligibility criteria for Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package to include homes with a band E energy performance rating.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has changed the eligibility criteria for Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package on the basis that the programme has been too restrictive.

Alex Neil: The Energy Assistance Package was introduced further to the recommendations of the independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum. The forum is responsible for monitoring the EAP. Further to their meeting on 27 October 2009 at which a six month progress report was considered, the forum commented on the success of the programme to date and recommended that access to stage 4 be widened to include those living in dwellings with an E energy efficiency rating.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, the Energy Saving Trust or managing agent will contact applicants rejected for Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package since April 2009 because of a band E energy performance rating to inform them that they are now eligible.

Alex Neil: The managing agent has confirmed it will contact those EAP applicants already surveyed whose homes achieved a SAP rating of between 39 and 54.

  Additionally, the Energy Saving Trust will identify to the managing agent those applicants that it considers likely to have a SAP rating of 54 or below who were not referred to Stage 4. The managing agent will contact them to offer a SAP survey to establish whether theirs is an energy inefficient dwelling.

  For all those applicants with an energy inefficient dwelling, the managing agent will make arrangements to check evidence of the householder’s eligibility once the amendment comes into effect. In order to limit waiting times, they will combine this eligibility check with the survey to decide the specification of measures.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the managing agent will handle any increase in demand resulting from wider eligibility for Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package to ensure that waiting periods do not increase beyond the current average of 77 days.

Alex Neil: The managing agent will increase field and office resources, where required, to meet the expected increase in demand resulting from the wider eligibility criteria for Stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package. The Scottish Government will continue to press the managing agent to do all it can to ensure waiting times are kept to a minimum.

Central Heating

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it projects that it will cost to widen the eligibility for Stage Four of the Energy Assistance Package to include homes with a band E energy performance rating.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the budget for the Energy Assistance Package will have to be increased in order to widen the eligibility for Stage Four of the package to include homes with a band E energy performance rating.

Alex Neil: The Energy Assistance Package is a demand-led programme supported by a budget worth over £60 million in 2009-10.

  In itself, widening the eligibility criteria for Stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package has no cost implications. The effect of including band E will be to nearly double the pool of households eligible for enhanced measures. Newly eligible households will have better energy efficiency ratings and therefore the cost of measures under Stage 4 may be less than those required for F and G band homes.

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that local authorities, such as West Dunbartonshire Council, are planning to increase care charges before 2010-11 and what its position is on this matter.

Shona Robison: The issue of charging for non-personal care services is addressed in legislation. Under Section 87 (1A) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, a local authority may charge for certain adult non-residential and domiciliary services it provides. Therefore, this was also the case under the previous administration. It is for local authorities to decide their charging policies for these non-personal care services, in keeping with local accountability. However, the legislation requires that any charges levied must be reasonable and should not be more than appears to be reasonably practicable for the recipient to pay, taking account of his or her other financial commitments. Guidance issued by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in April 2009 recommends a consistent framework for charging and encourages councils to demonstrate that they are following best practice.

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will cap the level at which care charges can be set by local authorities.

Shona Robison: The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 gave ministers powers to regulate charges for social care. However, the Scottish Government made clear at the time that it would support self-regulation by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) if that achieved consistency. It also made a commitment to hold these powers in reserve until implementation of COSLA’s guidance on charging was evaluated. In its Stage 1 Report on the Bill, the Health and Community Care Committee of the Scottish Parliament endorsed the approach of COSLA in preparing the guidance, and the reserve powers being taken by ministers.

  The evaluation of the guidance began in 2004, and revised guidance was issued in 2006. Key stakeholders, including the Scottish Government, were involved in the consultation process. CoSLA issued further updated guidance in April 2009 recommending a consistent framework for charging and encouraging councils to demonstrate that they are following best practice.

  We continue to support the aim of the COSLA guidance to achieve consistency, whilst allowing for local authority discretion in ensuring that charges are reasonable for each individual client.

Constitution

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has had with the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution regarding the costs involved in preparing for the proposed Referendum Bill.

John Swinney: As with any matter relating to the draft budget I have a number of discussions with the relevant portfolio minister in the course of the budget process.

Crime

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of domestic violence there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by sheriffdom and manner of disposal.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Convicted for an Offence1 with a Domestic Aggravator4, 5 Recorded, by Sheriffdom2, 2005-06 to 2007-08

  

 Sheriffdom/Result
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Glasgow and Strathkelvin 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 159
 157
 149


 Community sentence
 278
 309
 239


 Monetary 
 391
 452
 362


 Admonished 
 305
 433
 366


 Other 
 13
 15
 5


 Total
 1,146
 1,366
 1,121


 Grampian, Highland and Islands
 
 
 


 Custody 
 10
 32
 37


 Community sentence
 18
 70
 105


 Monetary 
 80
 207
 198


 Admonished 
 38
 91
 108


 Other 
 2
 16
 19


 Total
 148
 416
 467


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 45
 60
 64


 Community sentence
 90
 108
 109


 Monetary 
 278
 314
 282


 Admonished 
 125
 170
 169


 Other 
 12
 11
 11


 Total
 550
 663
 635


 North Strathclyde 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 80
 99
 107


 Community sentence
 145
 166
 151


 Monetary 
 361
 412
 425


 Admonished 
 203
 258
 248


 Other 
 5
 7
 5


 Total
 794
 942
 936


 South Strathclyde D and G 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 123
 130
 157


 Community sentence
 248
 245
 232


 Monetary 
 546
 517
 478


 Admonished 
 400
 493
 436


 Other 
 11
 3
 6


 Total
 1,328
 1,388
 1,309


 Tayside, Central and Fife 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 34
 36
 59


 Community sentence
 69
 89
 128


 Monetary 
 143
 174
 223


 Admonished 
 66
 105
 140


 Other 
 6
 3
 5


 Total
 318
 407
 555


 High Court 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 7
 7
 6


 Community sentence
 4
 2
 0


 Admonished 
 1
 0
 0


 Total
 12
 9
 6


 Scotland
 
 
 


 Custody 
 458
 521
 579


 Community sentence
 852
 989
 964


 Monetary3 
 1,800
 2,076
 1,968


 Admonished 
 1,138
 1,550
 1,467


 Other 
 49
 55
 51


 Total
 4,297
 5,191
 5,029



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. For High Court cases, information on the sheriffdom is not available.

  3. Total for 2005-06 contains one case where the court is unknown.

  4. The recording of aggravators has improved over time therefore caution is needed when comparing changes over time. 2005-06 is the first year where it has been considered that the use and recording of domestic abuse aggravator codes from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database has been of sufficient coverage to be used.

  5. The data recording codes for aggravators changed on 10 March 2008. The new codes will be reconciled against the existing codes when the 2008-09 data is available in March 2010.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the SNP manifesto commitment, whether it will list school-based dental services in each NHS board.

Shona Robison: The school dental service, which is being delivered under the Childsmile school programme, is currently operational in 201 schools in the following areas:

  

 Area
 Number of Schools


 Ayrshire and Arran
 28


 Borders
 13


 Fife
 33


 Forth Valley
 15


 Grampian
 3


 Highland
 11


 Lothian
 34


 Shetland
 21


 Tayside
 43



  Other health boards are preparing to introduce the programme.

Diabetes

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital emergency admissions were recorded for (a) diabetic ketoacidosis and (b) hypoglycaemic coma in (i) NHS Lothian and (ii) Scotland-wide in each of the last five years, broken down by (A) age and (B) gender.

Shona Robison: Table 1 below shows the number of emergency admissions recorded for diabetic ketoacidosis without coma for the last five years, by age and gender, for NHS Lothian and Scottish residents. Equivalent data on diabetic comas are shown in table 2.

  Table 1: Number of Emergency Admissions for Diabetic Ketoacidosis (Without Coma) for NHS Lothian and Scottish Residents, Financial Years Ending 31 March 2005-09p

  

 
 Male
 Female


 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09p
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09p


 Scotland
 All Ages
 735
 773
 941
 1,018
 895
 791
 792
 914
 958
 987


 0-24
 320
 343
 407
 441
 392
 364
 391
 441
 467
 450


 25-44
 227
 231
 304
 329
 290
 215
 237
 267
 257
 292


 45-64
 137
 157
 177
 177
 166
 134
 100
 118
 145
 149


 65+
 51
 42
 53
 71
 47
 78
 64
 88
 89
 96


 Lothian
 All Ages
 126
 121
 131
 156
 116
 96
 104
 111
 142
 134


 0-24
 56
 49
 47
 61
 49
 38
 54
 62
 79
 75


 25-44
 37
 38
 48
 51
 44
 32
 27
 27
 35
 34


 45-64
 25
 29
 29
 35
 19
 21
 13
 18
 20
 15


 65+
 8
 5
 7
 9
 4
 5
 10
 4
 8
 10



  Table 2: Number of Emergency Admissions for Diabetic Coma (Including Ketoacidotic Coma, Hypoglycaemic Coma and Other Coma) for NHS Lothian and Scottish Residents, Financial Years Ending 31 March 2005-09p

  

 
 Male
 Female


 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09p
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09p


 Scotland
 All Ages
 148
 123
 118
 132
 122
 149
 148
 132
 113
 128


 0-24
 30
 15
 12
 20
 15
 25
 14
 19
 8
 11


 25-44
 32
 20
 19
 18
 20
 12
 17
 14
 14
 19


 45-64
 37
 35
 39
 33
 35
 16
 25
 18
 27
 19


 65+
 49
 53
 48
 61
 52
 96
 92
 81
 64
 79


 Lothian
 All Ages
 12
 6
 5
 10
 5
 9
 14
 7
 5
 5


 0-24
 1
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 2
 1
 -


 25-44
 6
 3
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 3


 45-64
 2
 1
 -
 5
 1
 1
 3
 1
 1
 1


 65+
 3
 1
 4
 4
 4
 7
 10
 4
 3
 1



  PProvisional.

  Source: SMR01, ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Data are based on information contained within SMR01 discharge records from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric NHS hospitals in Scotland.

  2. The basic unit of analysis for these figures is a continuous stay in hospital. Probability matching methods have been used to link together individual SMR01 discharge episodes for each patient, thereby creating "linked" patient histories.

  3. The main diagnosis of the emergency admission record has been used to identify cases of diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetic coma. Diabetic ketoacidosis has been defined using ICD10 codes E101, E111, E121, E131 and E141. Diabetic coma, including hypoglycaemic coma, has been defined using ICD10 codes E100, E110, E120, E130 and E140. It is not possible to specifically identify hypoglycaemic coma cases using ICD-10 codes.

  4. Age is based on the patient’s age on admission to hospital.

  5. Data include Scottish residents only.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of possessing heroin received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community sentence order, (c) a probation order, (d) a drug treatment and testing order, (e) a fine or (f) another disposal in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons With a Charge Proved for Possession of Drug Offences1, Drug Type Heroin, 1999-2000 to 2007-083

  

 Police Force/Result
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 2
 3
 4
 5
 3
 2


 Community Sentence Order2 
 0
 0
 3
 2
 1
 1
 2


 Probation 
 0
 7
 3
 7
 3
 6
 8


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 4
 9
 13
 21
 22
 12
 15


 Other disposal4
 0
 5
 6
 6
 9
 15
 10


 Total
 4
 23
 28
 40
 40
 37
 37


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 2
 3
 3
 0
 1
 3
 2


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 2
 2
 0
 1
 1
 3


 Probation 
 0
 1
 5
 2
 1
 1
 3


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 6
 0


 Fine 
 5
 14
 12
 12
 18
 26
 9


 Other disposal4 
 0
 3
 5
 3
 4
 8
 2


 Total
 7
 23
 27
 17
 27
 45
 19


 Fife 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 1
 4
 4
 6
 6
 7


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Probation 
 0
 0
 4
 4
 4
 7
 3


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 2
 1
 0
 2
 1


 Fine 
 1
 10
 11
 21
 26
 28
 18


 Other disposal4 
 1
 0
 4
 13
 5
 4
 11


 Total
 2
 12
 25
 43
 41
 47
 41


 Grampian 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 1
 6
 6
 9
 12
 15
 9


 Community Sentence Order2
 1
 3
 2
 4
 3
 8
 4


 Probation 
 3
 8
 18
 14
 27
 28
 20


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 1
 2
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Fine 
 11
 48
 77
 74
 100
 117
 113


 Other disposal4 
 0
 8
 20
 20
 25
 32
 24


 Total
 16
 74
 125
 122
 168
 201
 171


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 1
 5
 6
 11
 17
 23
 18


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 3
 10
 16
 5
 7
 6


 Probation 
 0
 1
 5
 12
 8
 9
 6


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 4
 6
 8
 11
 9


 Fine 
 1
 7
 22
 54
 39
 58
 56


 Other disposal4 
 0
 2
 5
 19
 15
 16
 20


 Total
 2
 18
 52
 118
 92
 124
 115


 Northern 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 1
 1
 3
 1
 5
 4
 7


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 3
 3
 3
 1
 1
 3


 Probation 
 0
 4
 1
 1
 1
 2
 4


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 3
 0


 Fine 
 1
 8
 5
 8
 14
 30
 21


 Other disposal4 
 0
 0
 0
 3
 5
 9
 13


 Total
 2
 16
 12
 16
 28
 49
 48


 Strathclyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 1
 30
 47
 53
 55
 50
 56


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 9
 14
 14
 12
 13
 9


 Probation 
 4
 31
 57
 59
 46
 50
 48


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 10
 8
 14
 16
 17


 Fine 
 4
 183
 281
 358
 337
 403
 303


 Other disposal4
 1
 40
 137
 151
 126
 158
 176


 Total
 10
 293
 546
 643
 590
 690
 609


 Tayside 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 1
 4
 6
 4
 17
 18


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 0
 0
 2
 3
 7
 3


 Probation 
 0
 1
 0
 0
 9
 8
 6


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 1
 3
 2
 5
 3


 Fine 
 3
 11
 14
 27
 28
 65
 63


 Other disposal4
 1
 7
 2
 5
 4
 13
 15


 Total
 4
 20
 21
 43
 50
 115
 108


 Scotland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 6
 49
 76
 88
 105
 121
 119


 Community Sentence Order2
 1
 21
 34
 41
 26
 38
 31


 Probation 
 7
 53
 93
 99
 99
 111
 98


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 1
 19
 19
 29
 44
 31


 Fine 
 30
 290
 435
 575
 584
 739
 598


 Other disposal4
 3
 65
 179
 220
 193
 255
 271


 Total
 47
 479
 836
 1,042
 1,036
 1,308
 1,148



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Community sentence includes community service order, supervised attendance order, restriction of liberty order and sentences of probation with community service order.

  3. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02, and has been used progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

  4. Other disposal includes absolute discharge, admonished and no order made.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of possessing cocaine received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community sentence order, (c) a probation order, (d) a drug treatment and testing order, (e) a fine or (f) another disposal in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons With a Charge Proved for Possession of Drug Offences1, Drug Type Cocaine, 1999-2000 To 2007-083

  

 Police Force/Result
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2 
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 4
 8
 13
 7
 39
 10


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Total
 0
 4
 9
 13
 7
 39
 11


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 2
 4
 0
 3
 6
 8


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Total
 0
 2
 4
 0
 3
 9
 9


 Fife 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 0
 1
 3
 2
 5
 11


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 1
 0
 2
 0
 0


 Total
 0
 1
 2
 3
 5
 5
 11


 Grampian 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 1
 5
 1
 4
 3


 Community Sentence2
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Probation 
 0
 3
 0
 6
 1
 4
 7


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Fine 
 4
 13
 21
 15
 40
 59
 77


 Other disposal4
 0
 3
 4
 1
 3
 6
 5


 Total
 4
 20
 26
 27
 45
 74
 93


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 1
 0
 2
 2
 3
 1


 Community Sentence2
 0
 1
 0
 2
 2
 2
 2


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 3


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 2
 1


 Fine 
 0
 3
 8
 23
 28
 36
 54


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 1
 1
 2
 2
 1


 Total
 0
 6
 9
 29
 35
 45
 62


 Northern 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 2
 9
 9
 9
 40
 76


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Total
 0
 2
 9
 10
 9
 43
 78


 Strathclyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 4
 5
 0
 10
 5


 Community Sentence2
 0
 3
 1
 3
 2
 8
 6


 Probation 
 0
 1
 5
 7
 7
 13
 9


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 2
 0
 3
 1


 Fine 
 1
 35
 90
 129
 148
 407
 191


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 9
 23
 19
 45
 30


 Total
 1
 39
 109
 169
 176
 486
 242


 Tayside 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 2
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 1
 10
 17
 12
 27
 56
 24


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1
 0
 1


 Total
 1
 12
 21
 13
 28
 56
 25


 Scotland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 2
 6
 12
 3
 19
 9


 Community Sentence2
 0
 5
 4
 6
 4
 13
 9


 Probation 
 0
 4
 5
 14
 9
 18
 21


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 1
 2
 1
 5
 3


 Fine 
 6
 69
 158
 204
 264
 648
 451


 Other disposal4
 0
 6
 15
 26
 27
 54
 38


 Total
 6
 86
 189
 264
 308
 757
 531



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Community sentence includes community service order, supervised attendance order, restriction of liberty order and sentences of probation with community service order.

  3. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02, and has been used progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

  4. Other disposal includes absolute discharge and admonished.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of possessing ecstasy received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community sentence order, (c) a probation order, (d) a drug treatment and testing order, (e) a fine or (f) another disposal in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons With a Charge Proved for Possession of Drug Offences1, Drug Type Ecstasy, 1999-2000 To 2007-083

  

 Police Force/Result
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 0
 1


 Community Sentence Order2 
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 3


 Probation 
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 1
 6
 14
 13
 15
 19
 26


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 1
 1
 1
 3
 3


 Total
 1
 6
 17
 16
 18
 22
 33


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 0
 1
 1
 1
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 3
 3
 17
 7
 4
 11


 Fine 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Other disposal4 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Total
 0
 3
 4
 18
 9
 4
 11


 Fife 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 2
 10
 10
 11
 11
 8
 6


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 2


 Total
 2
 10
 10
 12
 13
 8
 9


 Grampian 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1


 Probation 
 0
 1
 1
 1
 2
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 5
 26
 31
 19
 16
 15
 22


 Other disposal4 
 0
 1
 3
 2
 1
 1
 2


 Total
 5
 30
 35
 24
 19
 18
 26


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 2
 3
 1
 0


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 0
 2
 1
 0
 1
 2


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 2
 2
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 1
 5
 25
 39
 33
 36
 50


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 2
 1
 2
 3


 Total
 1
 5
 27
 46
 39
 40
 56


 Northern 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 1


 Community Sentence Order2
 1
 4
 1
 3
 2
 2
 3


 Probation 
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 6
 27
 33
 25
 35
 63
 88


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 2
 0
 4
 8
 6


 Total
 7
 33
 38
 29
 41
 73
 99


 Strathclyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 4
 2
 4
 3
 4


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 4
 3
 7
 8
 2
 5


 Probation 
 0
 1
 7
 8
 6
 5
 9


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 2
 104
 211
 252
 250
 196
 252


 Other disposal4
 0
 8
 20
 26
 41
 37
 47


 Total
 2
 117
 245
 295
 309
 243
 317


 Tayside 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 1


 Community Sentence Order2
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 13
 33
 25
 36
 18
 49
 15


 Other disposal4
 1
 0
 1
 0
 2
 7
 3


 Total
 14
 33
 26
 37
 21
 58
 20


 Scotland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 1
 5
 6
 10
 5
 7


 Community Sentence2
 1
 9
 8
 16
 12
 7
 15


 Probation 
 0
 3
 10
 12
 10
 6
 13


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 30
 214
 352
 412
 385
 390
 470


 Other disposal4
 1
 10
 27
 31
 52
 58
 66


 Central 
 32
 237
 402
 477
 469
 466
 571



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Community sentence includes community service order, supervised attendance order, restriction of liberty order and sentences of probation with community service order.

  3. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02, and has been used progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

  4. Other disposal includes absolute discharge, remit to children’s hearing and admonished.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of possessing amphetamines received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community sentence order, (c) a probation order, (d) a drug treatment and testing order, (e) a fine or (f) another disposal in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons With a Charge Proved for Possession of Drug Offences1, Drug Type Amphetamines, 1999-2000 To 2007-083

  

 Police Force/Result
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0


 Community Sentence2 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 3
 2
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 1
 4
 4
 6
 4
 8
 5


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1


 Total
 1
 4
 4
 10
 7
 10
 7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 0
 1
 1
 4
 1
 3


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Total
 0
 0
 1
 1
 4
 3
 4


 Fife 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 1
 1
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 1
 2
 6
 7
 11
 8
 8


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 1
 2
 0
 0
 2


 Total
 1
 4
 8
 10
 11
 8
 10


 Grampian 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 2
 2
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 6
 10
 4
 10
 11
 3


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 1
 1
 1
 3
 0


 Total
 0
 6
 11
 8
 13
 16
 4


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 1


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1
 3


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Fine 
 2
 2
 4
 10
 12
 13
 3


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 0
 2
 0
 1
 0


 Total
 2
 3
 5
 14
 14
 17
 7


 Northern 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 3
 1


 Probation 
 1
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 2


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 4
 8
 12
 11
 17
 20
 12


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0


 Total
 5
 8
 12
 13
 18
 23
 15


 Strathclyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 2
 2
 2
 1
 5
 2


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 0
 2
 2
 2
 1


 Probation 
 0
 0
 1
 4
 2
 6
 4


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 3
 44
 83
 76
 71
 107
 40


 Other disposal4
 0
 8
 6
 7
 11
 25
 10


 Total
 3
 54
 93
 91
 87
 145
 57


 Tayside 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 6
 5
 3
 5
 13
 6


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Total
 0
 7
 7
 3
 6
 13
 6


 Scotland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 2
 2
 4
 3
 6
 3


 Community Sentence2
 0
 0
 1
 4
 4
 7
 3


 Probation 
 1
 1
 3
 9
 5
 9
 11


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 1
 2
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Fine 
 11
 72
 125
 118
 134
 181
 80


 Other disposal4
 0
 10
 8
 14
 14
 31
 13


 Central 
 12
 86
 141
 150
 160
 235
 110



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Community sentence includes community service order and restriction of liberty order.

  3. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02, and has been used progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

  4. All the other disposals are admonishments.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of possessing cannabis received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community sentence order, (c) a probation order, (d) a drug treatment and testing order, (e) a fine or (f) another disposal in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons With a Charge Proved for Possession of Drug Offences1, Drug Type Cannabis, 1999-2000 To 2007-083

  

 Police Force/Result
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 3
 1
 2


 Community Sentence2 
 0
 0
 1
 0
 4
 6
 2


 Probation 
 0
 1
 3
 2
 3
 5
 2


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 4
 25
 94
 82
 52
 33
 37


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 9
 10
 9
 9
 5


 Total
 4
 27
 107
 94
 71
 54
 48


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 1
 2
 1
 0
 3


 Community Sentence2
 0
 2
 2
 1
 3
 0
 3


 Probation 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Fine 
 3
 9
 14
 41
 27
 12
 21


 Other disposal4
 0
 0
 5
 1
 5
 4
 3


 Total
 3
 11
 22
 45
 36
 17
 31


 Fife 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Community Sentence2
 0
 2
 0
 1
 1
 1
 0


 Probation 
 0
 3
 0
 1
 1
 3
 3


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 0
 21
 16
 20
 27
 23
 21


 Other disposal4
 1
 3
 3
 2
 3
 6
 4


 Total
 1
 29
 20
 24
 32
 33
 29


 Grampian 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 1
 3
 3
 3
 1
 4
 1


 Community Sentence2
 0
 5
 3
 1
 4
 2
 0


 Probation 
 0
 3
 4
 3
 3
 3
 6


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fine 
 11
 42
 50
 37
 30
 25
 14


 Other disposal4
 2
 6
 9
 7
 6
 15
 3


 Total
 14
 59
 69
 51
 44
 49
 24


 Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 2
 2
 1
 2
 2
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 3
 3
 4
 9
 2
 3


 Probation 
 0
 0
 2
 0
 0
 4
 1


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0


 Fine 
 8
 22
 26
 83
 49
 58
 45


 Other disposal4
 0
 1
 5
 14
 10
 10
 11


 Total
 8
 28
 38
 102
 71
 77
 60


 Northern 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 0
 6
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Community Sentence2
 0
 3
 3
 1
 2
 6
 3


 Probation 
 0
 2
 2
 3
 2
 0
 2


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Fine 
 10
 48
 94
 101
 56
 69
 51


 Other disposal4
 1
 1
 2
 6
 7
 7
 11


 Total
 11
 54
 107
 111
 67
 82
 68


 Strathclyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 1
 4
 5
 12
 7
 12
 10


 Community Sentence2
 1
 7
 9
 13
 10
 9
 7


 Probation 
 3
 21
 23
 24
 33
 16
 18


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 3
 2
 0
 3
 0


 Fine 
 13
 407
 630
 689
 664
 693
 542


 Other disposal4
 1
 62
 116
 161
 153
 220
 122


 Total
 19
 501
 786
 901
 867
 953
 699


 Tayside 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 0
 2
 0
 0
 1
 3
 0


 Community Sentence2
 0
 3
 4
 3
 2
 1
 1


 Probation 
 0
 2
 0
 6
 1
 0
 4


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Fine 
 9
 28
 30
 25
 24
 34
 14


 Other disposal4
 0
 4
 7
 3
 5
 6
 3


 Total
 9
 39
 41
 37
 33
 44
 22


 Scotland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Custody 
 2
 11
 18
 18
 15
 22
 18


 Community Sentence2
 1
 25
 25
 24
 35
 27
 19


 Probation 
 3
 32
 34
 39
 43
 32
 36


 Drug Treatment and testing order
 0
 0
 3
 2
 1
 4
 1


 Fine 
 58
 602
 954
 1,078
 929
 947
 745


 Other disposal4
 5
 78
 156
 204
 198
 277
 162


 Central 
 69
 748
 1,190
 1,365
 1,221
 1,309
 981



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Community sentence includes community service order, supervised attendance order, restriction of liberty order and sentences of probation with community service order.

  3. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02, and has been used progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

  4. Other disposal includes absolute discharge, admonished, no order made, remit to children’s hearing and guardianship.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average fine was for possessing (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy, (d) cannabis and (e) amphetamines in each of the last 10 years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Average (Mean) Fine (£) for Persons Fined for Possession of Drug Offences1, by Drug Type, 1999-2000 To 2007-082

  

 Financial Year
 Cannabis
 Heroin
 Cocaine
 Amphetamines
 Ecstasy


 2001-022
 157
 226
 376
 232
 241


 2002-03
 138
 188
 271
 183
 223


 2003-04
 141
 195
 258
 167
 222


 2004-05
 136
 183
 244
 180
 196


 2005-06
 139
 179
 237
 187
 197


 2006-07
 136
 189
 221
 178
 199


 2007-08
 142
 186
 249
 199
 221



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02 and in that year was recorded against four per cent of possession of drug offences. It has since been recorded progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum fine was for possessing (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy, (d) cannabis and (e) amphetamines in each of the last 10 years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Fined for Possession of Drug Offences1, by Drug Type and Maximum Fine (£), 1999-2000 To 2007-08

  

 Financial Year
 Cannabis
 Heroin
 Cocaine
 Amphetamines
 Ecstasy


 2001-02
 500
 450
 700
 550
 575


 2002-03
 1,000
 1,000
 1,250
 600
 1,000


 2003-04
 1,100
 1,150
 3,500
 600
 1,750


 2004-05
 2,500
 1,500
 1,300
 650
 750


 2005-06
 1,000
 1,000
 1,000
 1,100
 1,000


 2006-07
 850
 1,000
 2,000
 600
 1,000


 2007-08
 850
 850
 1,500
 600
 2,125



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02 and in that year was recorded against four per cent of possession of drug offences. It has since been recorded progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

Enterprise

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has given to the textiles industry during the economic recession.

Jim Mather: This government is committed to doing everything it can to help businesses and industry during the economic downturn. A wide range of support from across the broader public sector has been tailored to suit the specific needs of the Scottish textile industry. We have launched a number of specific support schemes, such as ScotAction, and have significantly increased existing support services, such as the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service which has increased the number of advisors available to businesses.

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when in 2009 the Minister for Public Health and Sport has written to NHS boards about IVF treatment and whether it will publish that correspondence.

Shona Robison: I wrote to Chairs of NHS boards on 8 September 2009 informing them that I had asked Infertility Network Scotland to work directly with health boards to ensure that the voices of patients are heard at a local level in the planning of infertility services in Scotland, and to help progress with the provision of an equitable service throughout Scotland.

  A copy of the letter and attachment has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) (Bib. number 49679).

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the principle of patient choice in accessing IVF treatment.

Shona Robison: Whilst it is a matter for individual NHS boards whether patients can be referred to other NHS boards for infertility treatment, Infertility Network Scotland are working directly with NHS boards to ensure that that the voices of patients are heard at a local level in the planning of infertility services in Scotland.

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the principle of couples requiring IVF treatment being referred to other NHS boards.

Shona Robison: This is a matter for individual NHS boards.

Fertility Treatment

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on waiting times for private IVF treatment, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: This information is not collected or held centrally.

Finance

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA and local authorities on the tax increment financing scheme.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has ongoing discussions with local authorities and COSLA on the use of Tax Increment Financing to fund public infrastructure investment.

  The Scottish Futures Trust has set out in its 2009-10 Business Plan its aim, working with local authorities, to develop the TIF structure so that it can be applied across Scotland.

Finance

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to meet the European Commissioner for Competition Policy to discuss competition within the banking sector in Scotland.

Jim Mather: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth wrote to Commissioner Kroes on 3 November 2009 on a number of issues in relation to Scotland’s financial services industry and, in particular, the banking sector.

  The letter also highlighted the results of the Scottish Government’s SME Access to Finance Survey and sought assurances on future dialogue between the Commission and the Scottish Government.

Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the capital schemes accelerated under the accelerated capital programme.

John Swinney: Details of schemes which will benefit from accelerated capital during the current financial year were published on the Scottish Government website on 18 March 2009. The relevant news release can be found here:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/economic-situation/reshaping-cap-exp.

Fire Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time firefighters there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by fire and rescue service.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) part-time retained and (b) part-time volunteer firefighters there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by fire and rescue service.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government no longer collects records of the numbers of personnel employed by each of the fire and rescue services. The last recorded data was given in Appendix 2; Establishment and Strength of Fire and Rescue Services , of the Annual Report by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland published in October 2008, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 46822). The statistics for the year ending 31 March 2007 can be found in the annual report for 2006-2007, also available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 44156).

  For details on the numbers of employees for the years 1990-2006, I refer the member to the question S3W-02674 answered on 16 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The more recent figures should be available directly from the eight fire and rescue services.

Flooding

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received on the effects of flooding on land and homes adjacent to railway lines in the north east.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland liaises with Network Rail with regard to preparing for adverse weather. It has received no representations on the effects of flooding on land and homes adjacent to railway lines in the north east.

Flooding

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the flooding in the north east on 1 November 2009, what its position is on the concerns expressed by the Fire Brigades Union in a press release on 2 November 2009 that fire service personnel attended incidents and effected rescues while ill-prepared in terms of training and personal protective equipment; whether it intends to take action, and, if so, what action.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the flooding in the north east on 1 November 2009, whether it shares the concerns expressed by the Fire Brigades Union in a press release on 2 November 2009 that it is both inappropriate and dangerous that firefighters working waist deep in water were wearing clothing designed to protect them from flame and heat.

Fergus Ewing: All fire and rescue services have a statutory duty to respond to major flooding incidents and the Scottish Government has made over £1.3 million of funding available to support the purchase of related equipment and training. The Scottish Government would therefore be concerned if any firefighter was asked to attend an incident without adequate provision of equipment or training.

  While the provision of training and resourcing is primarily the responsibility of each fire and rescue service, additional support and guidance is also provided by the Scottish Fire Services College and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Advisory Unit.

  In this instance, we encourage the Fire Brigades Union to present their evidence directly to the relevant fire and rescue service, with a view to reaching resolution at a local level.

Food Labelling

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on clearer labelling and kite marking of foods with a health benefit, as proposed in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: The Food Standards Agency has produced Clear Food Labelling  guidance, revised in 2008, which provides practical advice on how to label foods so that the information is presented in a clear and simple way to the consumer.

  The review of EU food labelling legislation is ongoing. In January 2008, the European Commission published proposals for a Food Information Regulation for Consumers, which covers nutrition and general labelling and also includes a proposed option to allow for voluntary "front of pack" nutrition labelling. The proposal, amongst other things, requires mandatory information for consumers to be easily visible and clearly legible. The regulation is not expected to be adopted before 2011 and discussion on the detail is continuing.

  In addition, any health claim made on food must comply with Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health Claims made on Foods. The purpose of this regulation, which came into force in 2007, is to harmonise legislation across the European Community and to protect consumers from misleading or false claims. All health claims must be supported by scientific evidence, assessed by the European Food Safety Authority and agreed by the EU Commission and member states.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27687 by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 October 2009, whether it will make it its policy to collect information from NHS boards on the number of exceptional case requests received.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is preparing guidance for NHS boards which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland and includes a specific requirement for NHS boards to have fair, consistent and systematic processes for requests for medicines to be prescribed on a case-by-case basis for individual patients.

  The draft guidance underlines the importance of NHS boards maintaining appropriate records, including records on decisions reached and the outcome of any appeal.

  The Scottish Government intends to review the implementation of the guidance following a period of operation. In addition, consideration is being given to monitoring arrangements which will underpin this guidance.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assess the impact on access to medicines for cancer patients of a positive appraisal of a treatment by the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish ministers already expect NHS boards and clinicians to take full account of Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland recommendations in the planning and provision of NHS services, in line with existing guidance. Drugs that are accepted by SMC, or their equivalents, are expected to be available within NHSScotland. This means that NHS boards must offer these treatments.

  The decisions of individual clinicians in relation to patient care are a matter of professional judgement and such information is not collected centrally. All NHS staff operate within the management framework of their employing organisations.

Health

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the City of Edinburgh Council’s decision to freeze direct payments is legal.

Shona Robison: Local authorities have a duty under the 1968 act to assess the community care needs of people and decide in the light of the assessment whether they should arrange any services and if so which services. Since June 2003, this has included a duty to offer direct payments in lieu of local authority community care services to all eligible people.

  At its meeting on 19 November 2009, the City of Edinburgh Council is reconsidering its decision to freeze all Direct Payments.

Health

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the City of Edinburgh Council’s decision to freeze direct payments.

Shona Robison: Edinburgh Council are reconsidering their decision to freeze all Direct Payments.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28531 on 19 November 2009.

  Scottish Government guidance emphasises that direct payments should be available to all eligible individuals. I hope that this situation is resolved quickly so that those wanting to access direct payments are able to do so.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28387 by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 November 2009, whether it plans to make available to other healthy living centres in Glasgow the £70,000 handed back to it by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Shona Robison: If other Healthy Living Centres in Glasgow choose to apply, in conjunction with local community planning partners and the NHS board, then their application will be considered, up to March 2010.

  All lottery funded Healthy Living Centres with good prospects of achieving a sustainable future are eligible to apply to their NHS board for transitional funding, during the financial year 2009-10.

  To date there are no outstanding applications for transitional funding from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for Healthy Living Centres in their area.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to support access to alternative therapies such as homeopathy, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises that complementary or alternative medicines, including homeopathy, may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions and leaves it open to NHS boards to provide these therapies, based on their assessment of needs in their areas and in line with national guidance about treatment for the condition(s). The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional judgement.

  Guidance was issued to NHS boards in August 2005, to remind them that this option is open to them. The letter, NHS Circular HDL (2005) 37, is available at:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2005_37.pdf.

  NHS boards are expected to take account of relevant evidence-based guidelines and advice in the planning and delivery of NHS services.

Health

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards have a policy on sterilisation reversal surgeries and, if so, what the policy is for each.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government has been advised that the majority of NHS boards do not routinely fund the reversal of male or female sterilisation and would only consider this surgery in very exceptional circumstances, such as the death of an only child or the death of all the children in a family.

Health

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what factors explain the rise in the prescribing of orlistat at NHS (a) Ayrshire and Arran, (b) Borders, (c) Dumfries and Galloway and (d) Lanarkshire.

Shona Robison: The rise in the prescribing of orlistat is influenced by a number of factors such as the rising levels of obesity in the Scottish population and increased awareness of the potential health risks associated with obesity. Tackling obesity is a high priority for the Scottish Government.

  The use of an anti-obesity drug such as orlistat should not be the sole element of treatment. The decision to prescribe such a treatment is a matter for the clinical judgement of the prescriber, informed by advice and evidence about the drug and in consultation with the patient.

Health

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has cost to prescribe (a) sibutramine and (b) orlisat in the NHS Lothian area in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison: The answer is given in the following table. The gross ingredient costs (GIC) given relate to items prescribed in NHS Lothian and dispensed by community pharmacists or dispensing doctors anywhere in the UK. The costs shown do not include medicines dispensed in hospitals or hospital-based clinics (GIC is the cost of an item before any discounts are applied. It excludes adjustments and broken bulk fees.)

  

 Financial Year
 Orlistat
 Sibutramine


 2004-05
 145,720
 36,022


 2005-06
 227,011
 47,109


 2006-07
 345,470
 61,644


 2007-08
 352,683
 60,741


 2008-09
 389,296
 55,290



  The information in the table has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland.

Health

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) disorder and (b) NHS board.

Shona Robison: Information on number of individuals diagnosed with sleep disorders is not held centrally.

  Estimates of the number of people who consulted a GP or practice-employed nurse for a sleep disorder, at least once, in each financial year from 2003-04 to 2007-08, are shown in the following table:

  

 Financial Year
 Type of Sleep Disorder2
 All Sleep Disorders - Number of Patients3


 Insomnias
 Sleep Apnoea
 Other Sleep Disorders5
 Sleep Disorder – Unspecified4


 2003-04
 Number
 37,160
 1,410
 516
 8,660
 46,506


 95% Confidence Interval1
 (31,875-42,445)
 (959-1,862)
 (308-724)
 (6,936-10,383)
 (40,695-52,317)


 2004-05
 Number
 41,661
 1,476
 380
 11,922
 53,561


 95% Confidence Interval1*
 (31,086-52,237)
 (629-2,323)
 (138-622)
 (7,000-16,845)
 (42,016-65,107)


 2005-06
 Number
 32,557
 1,662
 637
 10,200
 43,723


 95% Confidence Interval1
 (26,528-38,586)
 (1,008-2,317)
 (162-1,111)
 (6,022-14,379)
 (36,300-51,146)


 2006-07
 Number
 32,325
 1,394
 341
 12,948
 45,701


 95% Confidence Interval1
 (25,686-38,964)
 (969-1,819)
 (174-509)
 (8,971-16,924)
 (37,856-53,547)


 2007-08
 Number
 33,325
 1,728
 299
 11,913
 45,222


 95% Confidence Interval1
 (26,238-40,412)
 (1,266-2,190)
 (156-441)
 (8,842-14,983)
 (37,297-53,148)



  Source: Practice Team Information, ISD.

  Notes:

  1. All estimates are subject to sampling error as they are based on a survey of approximately 5% of GP Practices. We can be 95% confident that the true estimates for Scotland would fall within this range.

  2. For each patient consultation, PTI practices are encouraged to choose one or more "read" code(s) that most accurately matches the description of the patient’s problem. This is the recommended national standard coding system in General Practice.

  3. The total number of patients who have consulted their GP for sleep disorders does not equal the sum of the number of patients across the four sleep disorder categories, as an individual patient may be assigned more than one "read" code. An individual may be included in one or more of the four categories.

  4. "Sleep disorder – unspecified" includes "read" codes where a sleep disorder has been specified but the nature of it is not clearly defined.

  5. "Other sleep disorders" includes other sleep disorder where "read" codes define the nature of the sleep disorder, but groups codes which are selected with low frequency and it is therefore not possible to reliably produce individual estimates, e.g. narcolepsy and persistent hypersomnia are included in this category.

  6. Estimates are not available at NHS board level.

  It should be noted that many people with sleep disorders, who have not consulted their GP practice for this problem, would not be included in these estimates.

Health

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Information on the exact number of people who have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea in Scotland is not available centrally.

  The following table gives a national estimate of the numbers of people consulting their GP practice for sleep apnoea, based on the number of patients seen for the condition in general practices participating in Practice Team Information (PTI). These figures may significantly underestimate the true number of people with sleep apnoea in Scotland, since many people living with the condition may not consult their GP practice in a particular year. The estimate also does not include people with sleep apnoea who consulted their GP practice for other reasons unrelated to sleep apnoea.

  Estimated Number of Patients Who Have Consulted a GP or Practice Nurse at Least Once in the Year for Sleep Apnoea

  

 Financial Year
 Estimated Number of Patients
 Confidence Interval*


 2003-04
 1,410
 (959-1,862)


 2004-05
 1,476
 (629-2,323)


 2005-06
 1,662
 (1,008-2,317)


 2006-07
 1,394
 (969-1,819)


 2007-08
 1,728
 (1,266-2,190)



  Note: *As the estimates are based on data from a sample of practices, 95% confidence intervals are included to indicate the accuracy of these estimates. For further information see:

  www.isdscotland.org/isd/3729.html.

Higher Education

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used when consulting on a proposed site for the UHI Millennium Institute in Inverness.

Fiona Hyslop: Higher education institutions are independent, autonomous bodies and issues such as campus locations are a matter for them.

Higher Education

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out between Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) regarding the desirability of a new UHI site in Inverness and on what grounds the decision was taken.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial benefit will accrue to Highlands and Islands Enterprise as a result of the development of the new UHI Millennium Institute site at Beechwood, Inverness.

Jim Mather: The Inverness campus development is an operational project of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask its acting chief executive to write to you in this regard.

Higher Education

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits the development of a new UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) site at Beechwood, Inverness, will have on the wider UHI campus network.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28860 on 19 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  UHI Millennium Institute is responsible for promoting the best interests of the institution.

Housing

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its planning guidance requires that a local authority or entity making a planning application undertake an assessment of the number of children of school age likely to be in any new housing development.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government planning guidance does not require an assessment in such specific terms, but does require planning authorities to provide settlement strategies as part of the development plan. Settlement strategies should consider the provision of housing, infrastructure and community facilities and can be used in development management decisions.

Housing

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its planning guidance requires that a local authority or entity making a planning application undertake an assessment of the likely impact on local public services of the development of new housing.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government planning guidance does not specifically require an assessment of the likely impact of housing development on public services, but does require planning authorities to provide settlement strategies as part of the development plan. Settlement strategies should consider the provision of housing, infrastructure and community facilities and can be used in development management decisions.

Housing

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its planning guidance issued to local authorities contains an indication of the likely number of children of school age that there will be per number of new homes built in any new housing development.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government planning guidance does not contain such an indication, this being an issue for planning authorities to determine for their respective areas.

Influenza

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many doses of the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine have been provided to (a) NHS and social care staff and (b) identified at-risk categories in each week since the start of the vaccination programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not yet available.

  As of 18 November 2009, NHS Scotland have received just under 720,000 doses of Pandemrix vaccine – around 55% of the total required for the 1.3 million priority groups as announced on 13 August. The majority of this vaccine has been distributed to GP practices.

  Vaccine deliveries to GP practices began from 26 October 2009, and all GP practices now have a supply of vaccine to enable vaccination of patients who are in the priority groups. GP practices have been prioritising initial supplies with those in the clinical at-risk groups, who are pre-school and school age children, pregnant women and those deemed to be at highest risk on the basis of their professional and clinical judgement.

  Uptake data will begin to be published soon.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women aged (a) 16 to 20, (b) 21 to 30, (c) 31 to 40, (d) 41 to 50, (e) 51 to 60 and (f) 61 and over were given custodial sentences in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Females Given a Custodial Sentence by Police Force and Age1, 1998-99 To 2007-08

  

 Police Force/Age
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Central
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 5
 6
 11
 17
 16
 11
 4
 8
 20
 9


 21-30
 25
 29
 38
 42
 50
 43
 33
 29
 31
 42


 31-40
 10
 7
 8
 18
 19
 25
 26
 27
 9
 15


 41-50
 12
 0
 2
 1
 1
 2
 3
 7
 8
 4


 51-60
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 2
 1
 3
 0
 2


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 42
 17
 24
 13
 17
 3
 16
 9
 5
 6


 21-30
 12
 12
 26
 33
 35
 36
 31
 23
 34
 11


 31-40
 6
 4
 3
 6
 5
 5
 11
 7
 5
 6


 41-50
 0
 0
 0
 2
 2
 0
 1
 3
 2
 3


 51-60
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 6
 15
 8
 6
 1
 5
 1
 11
 6
 8


 21-30
 9
 22
 25
 27
 21
 23
 60
 35
 33
 45


 31-40
 5
 4
 4
 8
 16
 12
 17
 22
 8
 18


 41-50
 0
 2
 1
 0
 1
 0
 1
 4
 5
 16


 51-60
 0
 1
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Grampian
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 22
 23
 15
 26
 37
 11
 19
 3
 15
 11


 21-30
 19
 38
 24
 21
 62
 54
 56
 35
 46
 57


 31-40
 2
 5
 10
 11
 12
 14
 11
 21
 17
 20


 41-50
 2
 2
 0
 2
 4
 11
 16
 18
 6
 12


 51-60
 0
 0
 0
 3
 5
 1
 2
 2
 6
 8


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Lothian and Borders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 18
 26
 38
 52
 30
 22
 35
 29
 37
 22


 21-30
 37
 36
 32
 42
 73
 88
 78
 53
 83
 88


 31-40
 26
 13
 23
 34
 33
 32
 37
 42
 32
 42


 41-50
 4
 5
 2
 4
 7
 16
 15
 12
 14
 20


 51-60
 0
 2
 1
 9
 0
 2
 2
 7
 3
 7


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 0
 0
 0
 2


 Northern
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 2
 14
 26
 8
 3
 6
 1
 0
 6
 10


 21-30
 16
 9
 17
 16
 21
 22
 19
 16
 13
 9


 31-40
 7
 4
 4
 5
 11
 9
 6
 26
 14
 12


 41-50
 2
 2
 0
 1
 0
 11
 1
 5
 3
 1


 51-60
 3
 0
 0
 2
 3
 5
 3
 2
 1
 2


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Strathclyde
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 79
 120
 96
 101
 79
 134
 82
 36
 75
 77


 21-30
 258
 264
 198
 265
 215
 219
 262
 272
 233
 244


 31-40
 107
 80
 74
 99
 118
 129
 149
 112
 141
 162


 41-50
 15
 28
 16
 48
 22
 44
 52
 55
 61
 53


 51-60
 5
 3
 3
 4
 9
 6
 25
 10
 13
 19


 over 60
 1
 2
 0
 4
 2
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Tayside
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 21
 31
 13
 13
 34
 15
 33
 27
 33
 39


 21-30
 19
 29
 19
 17
 22
 57
 72
 100
 116
 115


 31-40
 5
 7
 6
 11
 13
 13
 14
 68
 31
 34


 41-50
 4
 2
 1
 0
 1
 2
 5
 0
 4
 9


 51-60
 2
 0
 1
 1
 2
 2
 0
 1
 0
 3


 over 60
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0


 Scotland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 16-20
 195
 252
 231
 236
 217
 207
 191
 123
 197
 182


 21-30
 395
 439
 379
 463
 499
 542
 611
 563
 589
 611


 31-40
 168
 124
 132
 192
 227
 239
 271
 325
 257
 309


 41-50
 39
 41
 22
 58
 38
 86
 94
 104
 103
 118


 51-60
 11
 6
 5
 20
 20
 18
 33
 25
 23
 44


 over 60
 1
 2
 0
 4
 2
 4
 1
 1
 0
 3



  Source: Scottish Government Court Proceedings database.

  Note: 1. Age at date of sentence.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date all primary school children will receive free fruit, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Adam Ingram: No date has been set, as it is for local authorities to determine how to take their fruit schemes forward locally. However, we are fully committed to, and confident of, meeting this pledge as the majority of local authorities have extended their free school fruit scheme beyond P1 and P2 pupils already. In addition, we are currently consulting with local authorities to explore the possibility of securing funding for 2010-11 from the EU under the EU School Fruit Scheme, to extend provision of free school fruit further.

  Data on free school fruit provision is collected in the survey of school meals, the latest version was published in June 2009. The survey collects data on whether schools have extended their fruit scheme in some way to pupils beyond P1 and P2 pupils:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/22104701/0.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to increase the availability of fresh, nutritious and locally produced food, particularly in areas of deprivation, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: Progress to increase the availability of fresh healthy produce has been made thanks to partnership working between the Scottish Government, the Scottish Grocers Federation and Community Food and Health (Scotland) (CFHS).

  Over 600 stores, around half in the most deprived areas, participate in the Scottish Grocers Federation Healthyliving Programme and have registered on average a 20 to 30% increase in sales of fresh fruit and vegetables since 2006. So far in 2009, shoppers at these stores consume an average of 3.9 portions of fruit and vegetables per day, up from 3.1 portions in 2006.

  Community Food and Health (Scotland) support community food initiatives in the most deprived areas, helping to build capacity, offering training and a network to share best practice. CFHS also provides an annual grants scheme – £140,000 to 58 groups in 2009. Twenty seven community food initiatives recently took part in a successful pilot to promote fruit and vegetables using Scottish Grocers Federation Healthyliving Programme training and resources.

  The Scottish Government has committed ongoing support to both programmes in Recipe for Success – Scotland’s National Food and Drink Policy.

  We continue to support Scottish food and drink producers; since May 2007 we have supported 104 organisations with over £23 million funding through a range of grant schemes and awarded almost £700,000 to grow your own and community food projects through the Climate Challenge Fund.

Nutrition

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken since 2007 to progress higher nutritional standards in hospitals, nurseries and care homes, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Nicola Sturgeon: We have made good progress on this manifesto commitment.

  A comprehensive programme for improving nutritional care in hospitals was established in 2008, backed by £1.5 million to support the implementation of the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Clinical Standards for Food, Fluid and Nutrition in Hospitals. Food in Hospitals – a National Catering and Nutrition Specification for Food and Fluid in Scottish Hospitals was published in July 2008; a monitoring tool has been developed; a Practice Development Programme and toolkit was published in November 2008; a web-based Educational Framework resource went live in December 2008 and continues to be built on; nutritional champions were appointed in each board area and a database of standard, nutritionally analysed recipes will be rolled out next year.

  In care homes we piloted an educational programme which resulted in 50 nutrition champions being trained across Scotland. The overall aim of the programme was to improve nutrition, and food and eating practices within the care home sector. The final report of the project was positive but made a number of recommendations for any future project of this nature. We will ensure that resources are dedicated to developing this important area to ensure that the good start made by the Nutrition Champions project is not lost and all older people in care homes benefit.

  Work in the pre-school sector includes a pilot project which aims to improve children’s health, increase healthcare capacity in schools (including nurseries) and reduce health inequalities. This is currently being delivered in four demonstration sites in Scotland – South Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, Moray and West Lothian. There is also now a single curriculum for ages 3-18, which supports a more active approach to learning and teaching in pre-school and early primary school promoting various curriculum areas including healthy eating and living.

  More generally, we are also making £19 million to NHS boards over the period 2008-11 to improve the nutrition of women of childbearing age, pregnant women and pre-school children in their areas.

Older People

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is intended to implement the recommendations of the review of the Scottish Helpline for Older People.

Shona Robison: We published the report of the review of the Scottish Helpline for Older People on 9 November 2009. The report contains a number of recommendations, some of which are for the Scottish Government and some for the Scottish Helpline for Older People. These require detailed consideration and discussion with the consortium which runs the Helpline. Officials will begin these discussions shortly.

Pharmacies

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the security of supply of medicines to community pharmacies and patients as a consequence of recent changes in the pharmaceutical wholesale network.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the reduction in competition in the supply of medicines to community pharmacies as a consequence of recent changes in the pharmaceutical wholesale network.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware of the various issues affecting medicines supply. Whilst the choice of method of medicines distribution is a commercial decision for the companies concerned, the Scottish Government expects patients to receive the medicines they need promptly. The Scottish Government is in contact with NHS National Services Scotland and Community Pharmacy Scotland to monitor the effect of the changes to the supply chain and will take appropriate steps to ensure continuity of supply wherever possible.

Planning

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances planning permission must be sought by a person conducting a business from home.

Stewart Stevenson: The main issue is whether conducting a business from a dwellinghouse, flat or other residence would amount to a material change of use which would then require planning permission. Whether a material change of use is involved depends on the circumstances of the particular case, for example the type of business and the nature and location of the dwelling.

  If a building or other structure were erected in relation to a business being run from a home, it would be a question of whether the size and nature of the building or structure and/or its use required planning permission.

  Where someone was conducting a business from home without having obtained a planning permission, it would be a matter for the planning authority for the area, in the first instance, to consider whether a breach of planning control had occurred and whether enforcement action would be appropriate.

Public Sector Staff

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28176 by Jim Mather on 6 November 2009, what the cost was of the Hay Group job size evaluation report and from which budget this cost was taken.

Jim Mather: The cost of the Hay Group job size evaluation report and the budget allocation decision are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the Scottish Enterprise chief executive to write to you in this regard.

Rail Network

Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it considers the return of the east coast main line to public ownership will affect the Scottish economy.

Stewart Stevenson: There should be no effect on the Scottish economy as a result of this change. We have been assured by the Secretary of State for Transport that there will be no impact on passenger services operating within Scotland.

Rail Network

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with Network Rail and landowners remedies for the repeated disruption to rail services between Aberdeen and Inverness and Aberdeen and Dundee due to flooding.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government meets regularly with Network Rail as owner of the rail infrastructure in Scotland to discuss a number of issues, including adverse weather preparation and remedial action arising from changing weather patterns across all Scottish routes. Discussions with landowners on the impact of disruption to rail services due to flooding are a matter for Network Rail.

Rail Network

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether construction of the Borders rail project will commence before April 2011 as stated by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change in the chamber on 5 March 2008 ( Official Report col. 6581).

Stewart Stevenson: Construction of the works authorised by the Waverley Railway Act will commence in 2010, with the first of the ancillary works defined in the act. It is anticipated that a contract for the construction of the railway works defined in the act will be awarded in autumn 2011.

  This is in line with previous announcements that construction work will commence in the lifetime of this Parliament.

Rail Network

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new timetable for delivery of the Borders rail project was determined by Transport Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: The timetable for delivery of the Borders railway project was determined when Scottish ministers were satisfied that market conditions were favourable to run a successful procurement, which will ensure value for money for public funds.

Rail Service

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times and for how long rail services between Aberdeen and Dundee and Aberdeen and Inverness were disrupted by flooding in each of the last five years.

Stewart Stevenson: This is a matter for Network Rail. The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government in this form.

Rail Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government with regard to the future of the east coast main line rail service.

Stewart Stevenson: Officials have regular dialogue with the Department for Transport on matters relating to cross border services. Discussions on the detail of the specification of future east coast franchises are expected to take place in due course.

  The Secretary of State for Transport at Westminster has stated his commitment to working closely with the Scottish Government on this issue, and we will seek to ensure that the needs of Scottish passengers are met.

Renewable Energy

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the port infrastructure requirements and linked finance for launching tidal and wave power equipment in the Pentland Firth and other parts of Scotland have been identified, as required by the Renewables Action Plan timetable.

Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are finalising the National Renewables Infrastructure Project (N-RIP) which is a key action from the Scottish Government’s Renewables Action Plan. This project is setting out a spatial framework for the development of key infrastructure in Scotland required to support offshore renewables, with wave and tidal development being a key element of this work. The project will also set out approaches to funding the key infrastructure identified.

  The findings of the report will be submitted to ministers later this month with publication of the findings expected by the end of this year. These findings will play an important role in the delivery of the marine renewables leasing round in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.

Renewable Energy

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce permitted development rights for micro wind turbines.

Stewart Stevenson: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires an Order to be made by 5 February 2010.

Roads

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow flexibility in the placing of a-frame advertising boards on pavements adjacent to trunk roads in order to safeguard free passage while allowing the provision of important information to visitors and residents.

Stewart Stevenson: Guidance on a-frame advertising boards is set out in Transport Scotland’s Disability Discrimination Act Good Practice Guide for Roads , which was published in October 2009. This is available on the Transport Scotland website at:

  http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/reports/road/j11185-00.htm.

  As a roads authority, Scottish ministers’ first responsibility is to ensure safety for all road users. The presence of advertising boards on narrow footpaths can cause a hazard to pedestrians, people pushing prams and disabled people, including wheelchair users or visually impaired people. In addition, these signs can obscure visibility and distract drivers.

  Transport Scotland and its operating companies, along with the planning authority, can advise businesses in small communities how they can advertise goods and services legally and safely.

Rural Development

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to local communities in Clydesdale who wish to develop a community asset.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government provides support through the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). Overall, nearly £3.2 million has been approved for a range of projects in Clyde during the first year of Rural Priorities. Under the Rural Priorities element of the SRDP, over £200,000 of funding has been approved specifically for community related projects in the Clyde region. In addition, £1.47 million has been allocated to the South Lanarkshire LEADER local action group and so far nearly £700,000 has been awarded to local projects which are community driven and have wide community benefit.

  The Scottish Government also funds Rural Direct, which is a support service for rural community groups and is operated by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). This service provides information and support to groups looking for funding sources for their projects.

Schools

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the names are of the 14 condition C schools in Renfrewshire as noted in table 6.1 of Schools Estate Statistics 2009 .

Keith Brown: The 14 primary schools in condition C in Renfrewshire as noted in table 6.1 of School Estate Statistics 2009 are:

  Auchenlodment Primary School;

  Brediland Primary School;

  Howwood Primary School;

  Kirklandneuk Primary School;

  Lochfield Primary School;

  Moorpark Primary School;

  Ralston Primary School;

  St Anthony’s Primary School;

  St Fergus’s Primary School;

  St James’s Primary School (Renfrew);

  St Mary’s Primary School;

  St Paul’s Primary School;

  St Peter’s Primary School, and

  West Primary School.

Schools

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional school nurses have been recruited since 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Data on recruitment are not held centrally. Data on the number of staff employed by the NHS at 30 September each year are published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland and are available from the website link:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/796.html.

  Information as at 30 September 2009 will be published on 15 December 2009.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23085 on 29 April 2009. It gave the number of school nurses employed in 2007 and 2008. All the answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Schools

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to schools on organising exchange visits.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has provided guidance to local authorities and schools on the protection of children and young people whilst at school. The Safe and Well handbook (2005) provides detailed advice and information to inform local authority and school policies on a range of issues which may affect children and young people. This includes advice on the role of child protection co-ordinators, national policy and legislation and specific issues and concerns which may arise, including arrangements for residential visits and school trips. We are currently updating the Safe and Well guidance. It is planned that revised guidance will be published on the Learning and Teaching Scotland website in spring 2010.

Schools

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a requirement on families hosting school children as part of an exchange programme to undergo checks by Disclosure Scotland.

Adam Ingram: Under current legislation, access to disclosure checks is governed by whether or not a position (in this case host parent) is a child care position as defined in the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 (POCSA). As there is no statutory definition of "host parents" in POCSA, this depends on the specific arrangements made. It is the responsibility of the relevant organisation to apply the law to the particular circumstances of their activity.

  The child care positions specified in POCSA which would most commonly apply to host parenting would be those whose normal duties involve caring for, supervising or being in sole charge of children. Children being hosted by other parents who are not friends of the family are likely to be cared for/supervised/under the sole charge of the host parents for the times of the visit. Generally, normal duties can be considered as something the individual might be expected to do as part of their post on an ongoing basis, for example appearing in a job description or, in the case of host parents, set out in the arrangements made between the parents and the organisers.

  At the present time, there is a variation in approach by organisations across Scotland on the checking of host parents, which is justified to the extent that it is a result of different circumstances of each case. Although the overwhelming majority of host parents pose no threat, there have been cases where the disclosure process has identified previous sexual offences committed by prospective hosts who have, as a result, been removed from the hosting process.

  Existing arrangements for enhanced disclosure for those in child care positions will be replaced by new arrangements under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007, which will come into force later in 2010. Like POCSA, the 2007 Act does not make explicit provision for host parents. The Scottish Government is now consulting on whether or not to make explicit provision covering host parents. This is part of the consultation on modifications to the scope of regulated work with children, published as part of a suite of draft secondary legislation for consultation on 10 November 2009 and running until 2 February 2010. The consultation seeks views from stakeholders as to whether to: proceed with such provision; make different provision or make no provision at all.

  The Scottish Government wants hosting arrangements to be quick and efficient to organise, avoiding any inappropriate deterrent to potential host parents from disclosure requirements. However, there is also a need to ensure the protection of children in situations where they are potentially quite vulnerable. The Scottish Government wants to ensure the legislation strikes the right balance between proportionate and still robust protection.

Schools

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances the parents of children participating in a school exchange programme may be required to undergo checks by Disclosure Scotland.

Adam Ingram: In respect of parents hosting other people’s children in the context of a school exchange programme, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28823 on 19 November 2009. There are no requirements for checking of parents sending their children on a school exchange programme. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Sport

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date the new centres of sporting excellence will be opened, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: This government will continue to work with local authorities, sportscotland and other key partners to expand the number of sporting centres of excellence. Since May 2007, the new sporting centres of excellence at Toryglen Regional Indoor Football Centre, Aberdeen Sports Village and The Peak at Forthbank in Stirling have all opened. It will be essentially for local authorities and sports governing bodies to determine how future centres of sporting excellence are developed according to their own needs and priorities.

Swimming Pools

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date all children will be given free, year-round access to local authority swimming pools, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is more than midway through a four-year term and we are working through our manifesto commitments, having already delivered a significant number of measures to make Scotland wealthier, safer, healthier, smarter and greener.

  There are already over 65% of local authorities that provide a mixture of free and discounted swimming to targeted groups, and it is hoped that the remaining local authorities will recognise the benefits that free access to swimming pools can bring to achieving their local outcomes.

  We will continue to work with local authorities, Scottish Swimming, sportscotland and others to ensure we offer more and better opportunities for our young people to enjoy and benefit from swimming. Our investment of over £1.2 million in Scottish Swimming earlier this year, the biggest ever single investment in a Scottish governing body of sport, shows our commitment to swimming in Scotland.